Improvement in drying grain, malt



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVESTER MARSH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENTIN DRYING GRAIN, MALT, ao.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent` No. 37,403, dated January 13, 1863.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, SYLvEsTER MARSH, o Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful methods of heating hops, broom-corn, grain, and other` similar substances; and I hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, to which reference is hereinafter made, is a full, clear, and exact specication of the same.

Hops, broom-corn, grain, and other similar substances were heretofore dried by forcing through them air heated in separate chambers, or by contact with pipes or ues, or plates heated by the gases emanating from a re built in a furnace located in some convenient part of the apparatus, a-nd it was heretofore deemed essential to avoid contact of air used for vthe drying purposes with the re, it having been supposed that the admixture of gases, smoke, &c.,would injuriously affect the quality of the grain or other substance to be dried. Great care was therefore bestowed to prevent gases and other products of combustion from passing into the drying apparatus,

Where it may mix or intermingle with the substances to be dried. Flues, pipes, heatingplates, and chimneys were resorted to as the readiest means to separate the fire from the air blown or forced through the mass to be dried. I have discovered that if anthracite coal or coke be used as fuel, it may, without danger to the grain or substance to be dried, be mixed with the air forced or blown or passed through it 5 and my invention consists in forcing a current or blast of fresh air over an open anthracite or coke f1re and into and through the mass of grain or other substance to be dried, in contradistinction to its being passed through the iire or from under the lire.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I shall now describe an apparatus constructed in accordance therewith by referring to the accompanying drawing, which represents a sectional elevation of the same.

a a in the said drawing is a brick foundation of square or oblong form, supporting a perforated metal plate, b, the perforations of which are sufficiently large to allow of hot air passing through, yet small enough to prevent the substance to be dried from falling through it. In front of the brick-work there are two openings, c and d, provided with suitable doors, by which access may be had to the fire-chamber and ash-pit. The said nre-chamber consists of a grate, e, supported in front by a cross-bar, f, and in rear by a brick Wall, g, which also forms the back ofthe ash-pit. The iirechamber has also a back or fender, h, just high enough to hold the anthracite coal or coke that may be put on the grate. In front of this apparatus I provide a fan-blower, z', and so arrange its spout as that the blast of air produced by it when put in operation shall be tangential, ornearly so, to the surface of the fuel upon thegrate'. There is also a hopper, k, holding a quantity of grain or other substance to be discharged in suitable quantities at the will of the operator. y

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: I rst take a very small quantity of kindling, preferably hard wood, cut in short pieces and split very small, or charcoal. After igniting either of these, I cover it with a layer of smaller-sized anthracite coal or coke, and then other coals or coke of larger size. After thus kiudling the coal or coke, the draft is applied by giving the fans a quick rotary motion. The coal or coke will soon burn with a light red color, and radiate much heat Without producing smoke or gases that will in the least injure the grain or the material to be dried. The effect on the matter spread on the perforated bed will be readily understood from the drawing, in which the blue arrows indicate the current of fresh air, and the arrows in red that of the heated gases or air. It will be seen that the air blown from the ventilator has a tendency to pass under and parallel with the perforated bed, but the particles of air in passing over the coal fire become heated and intermingled with the heated gases, whose ascending force will divert them and direct the current upward through the apertures of the perforated bed, and thus pervade the grain or material to be dried, and pass off charged with moisture. By this means the moisture is effectually eliminated from hops, broom-corn, grain, ilour, plaster, and other substances at little expense in apparatus and fuel, and more readily than this could be done heretofore.

Having thus described my invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be eirried into effect,-I would observe that I do not confine myself to the arrangement of apparatus hereinhefore described., it being snsceptible of many modifications Without departure from the principle of my invention.

What I claim is- 'lhe method of drying hops, bioom-corn, grain, and other like substances by the employment, in combination With anthracite coal or coke as fuel, of an artificial current of air over the fire, substantially as herein shown and set forth.

In testimony Whereofl have signed myname to this specification before two subscribing Witnesses.

SYLVESTER MARSH.

Witnesses:

A. POLLAK, WM. H. HARRISON. 

